[fast-alfa75]

Try the Falken Azenis 615. I bought them online for less than $90 ea, they grip very nicely, and are almost as effective as the Toyo Proxes RA1 I run in the dry.

Get some camber in the front of that thing! Ron sets his student cars with -3.0 camber and with a little toe in for stability.

I run this camber on the street with zero toe, and it works. Tires are part of the admission price.

 

[nizam]

I just mounted ES100 225/45/16. I had to do some fender modifications but it wasn't too bad. So far, the grip is noticeably better but still isn't that great.

Grant, I don't know how much you paid for your ES100's, but the Tire Rack shows them at $103/ea in 225/45/16, without shipping.

For $3 more, you could have bought the Toyo T1-R's from Edge Racing. Those are some grippy tires! I use them as warm-up tires (for the driver) when I go to the track ... they don't give up much when compared with R-compounds, and have really good behavior in the wet, too.

Tires are part of the admission price.

+100

The whole "handling" discussion is really a discussion of the whole package ...

 

[Gabor K.]

True of course, you will burn up good Sport tires very fast if the car is leaning over like a palm in the wind!

A lot must be done to get handling like these 75´s!

 

[nizam]

... the SoCal club won't let you run without first going through their ground-school and everything!)
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Not much incentive to drive all of that way only to play follow-the leader at lunch time!

JJ, as Jes noted above, I believe the AROSC still allows un-AROSC-licensed drivers to participate in their Time Trial events, as long as they run in the "novice" run group and adhere by the passing rules, put a big 'X' on the back of their car, etc. I asked Paul Blankenship in another thread, and his reply pretty much sums it up:

http://www.alfabb.com/bb/forums/showpost.php?p=404066&postcount=22

The key is, the CAR has to be prepared for the class of event. As I remember it, the Milano you drove to Laguna didn't have the required safety equipment like 5-pt harness nor fire extinguisher, hence you had to run in the lunchtime "follow the leader" pack.

I don't know what transpired at the WSIR event when Ron was there, so I can't comment.

However, for the rest o-you Milano boys, we should definitely get together for a track event like Grant posted above. I personally like running with the AROSC (like AR4Me, 75Evo, etc.) because they're a good, safe, and cost-effective group to run with.

Edit: In order to run in the race group, like in the Alfa Cup, you'll have to get the AROSC Racing License, or have an SCCA Competition License. Grant, 75Evo and I will be down at the school this September to get our AROSC Racing License so we can give Jes some competition!

 

[Grant]

Nizam,

I bought the 4 tires for $250 and picked them up in Daly city. They were used for about 10 miles. I really wanted RT-615 but you guys have to understand that I only have one set of wheels for my daily. I know tires make the difference at the track but I couldn't justify running 200 or lower treadwear rating on a daily driver. This will change of course, my next set of wheels and tires will be the real deal I'm sure.

Also, do you feel the Toyos are as grippy as the Falkens? I heard they were not, but with a treadwear of 280, they seem like a better value...

Fast-75,

Is 3 degrees acceptable camber for street use too? I'm looking to set mine at 2.5 or so degrees when I go to the alignment shop again, do you think I should go more? I'm at about 1.8 right now and I think the edges of the tires are feathering more than they should..

 

[91spiderNV]

Don't want to hijack the thread about tires but try out ebay for hoosiers and toyo's r compound tires. get a full set for $200 includes shipping. they still have 50-75% of wear left giving you a good two? track days, the way i drive em. I've used street tires on the track and the adhesion level is night and day with the R compound tires. Your confidence level goes up too with R compound tires making up for my inferior driving skills and stock supension/body roll.

here's a set of good toyo's 225/50/15 12 hrs left to bid

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/225-...010QQitemZ200137904497QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

Lastly, grant, it looks like you're trying to find out if your coil overs are worth it? They sure do look cool and create great subjects for Alfa BB'rs. Enjoy the suspension mods and I look forward to hearing more opinions on improving Milano's driveability.

 

[nizam]

I bought the 4 tires for $250 and picked them up in Daly city. They were used for about 10 miles.

Also, do you feel the Toyos are as grippy as the Falkens? I heard they were not, but with a treadwear of 280, they seem like a better value...

Well, for $250/set, with no tax and no shipping (well, your gas money to go pick 'em up), that's a great deal. Enjoy them!

I haven't tried the latest Falkens, so I cannot comment.

 

[nizam]

Don't want to hijack the thread about tires

It's Grant's thread, it's OK.

So, how's the wife and kids?

 

[Grant]

91 Spider, I can't find 225/45/16 tires eaily at all. If I saw anything cool for cheap in my size I would have bought them a long time ago. I can't go with 15's because my spindles were lengthened.

 

[91spiderNV]

I'd just keep watching ebay and something will come up. today on ebay i saw Faulken 615's and Toyo RA1 in 16's but not at a bargain price. I chose to go with 205/50/15 since thats the spec size for BMW e30 and miatas. Thought it would be agood size I knew that there was going to be a lot of these r compound tires on ebay.

Wow, coil overs, lengthend spindles, etc...when does the twin turbo get installed? 8 cylinder?

 

[Grant]

Haha, I wish....

But I really haven't spent too much so far.. I think my running total including the car is under 3K. A lot of stuff needed to be fixed or rebuilt but my dad is a really good resource, I only ended up having to pay for alignments and Smog and stuff.

The thing that's hard is I absolutely need 45 aspect ratio or lower. I think the tire manufacturers aren't making my size much anymore. It's a pitty the Milanos have such a small wheel well. I looked into 17's but it's hard finding the right aspect ratio again I think. And aren't 205's a bit undersized? I thought running too narrow of a tire would cause it ot overheat at the track?

 

[nizam]

And aren't 205's a bit undersized? I thought running too narrow of a tire would cause it to overheat at the track?

The events I enter have 20-25 minute heats (AROSC, HOD). Even on a brake-intensive track like Laguna Seca, I haven't overheated my race rubber. During the last event, both my wife and I shared the car, so it ran for forty minutes straight at track stress levels and the car's attitude didn't change.

I was running 205/40/17 that day.

Well, I take it back. You COULD overheat any tire if you beat on them enough. Just drive smoothly, it'll all be OK.

 

[Grant]

Interesting Nizam. I don't know why there are so many opinions on seemingly simple matters you know? I was told a long time ago the Azenis can't be used on the track because they overheat, but 75evo ran them with out any issues. And now you're telling me 205's are no sweat.

Larry Jr. was the one who first told me to try to avoid running undersized tires, and that was with a light GTV6!

 

[nizam]

All I can say is, beware of the free advice you get on the internet.

You didn't already know I was opinionated?

 

[junglejustice]

...I don't know what transpired at the WSIR event when Ron was there, so I can't comment...[/i]

With Ron in January it was just a flat-out "NO" on driving regardless of the car - they never even asked "what car?"

That - coupled with the almighty blow-off we got from California-area Alfa shops in general on hosting a tech session (like the ones we did successfully here in Seattle, down in Houston and over in New York), really pissed me off royally! Ron traveled all of that way...

Any way - thanks guys - I'll take this under advisement and maybe come out one of these days when the "big gun" is loaded!

 

[75evo]

JJ,

Did this have anything to do with registration? Was Ron registered prior to the event?

 

[junglejustice]

Let's not bleed all over this thread - but in short yes - well - sort of (we tried to register as drivers to see if we even could drive - before making arrangements for wheels...)

Nope. I fell in my own sword and said "how about just for my guest from Europe then...?" The guy asked me who "Ron Simons" was... Told him that he has an FIA license - answer was still nope.

Best offer was to get him a "ride-along" in one of the instructor's cars during the lunch-break!!! Laughed my arse off (thought about Ron "sitting in" for a trip around that dust-bowl...)

Sorry guys - just think that it was pretty stupid - the ****ing guy raced Ferraris and Alfas for 10 plus years; gets to drive customers' F1 cars, F50s, Enzos, sports racers off all kinds, GT3 RSRs - you name it - at Spa, the Ring, Zolder, Zandvoort, Goodwood! (Pretty funny thought - him "sitting-in" at Willow with an instructor...)

The look on his face when I told him - priceless.

 

[AR4me]

Grant,

I have never ran anything wider than 205 on the track on my Milanos, whether street or R-compound, TT or Race.

JJ, I understand you are disappointed that Ron didn't get to drive at WSIR, and I can see you have issues with them over other things. It does sound very strange they wouldn't let an FIA licensed driver sign up for TT - that should be a no-brainer. I can only imagine that there must have been some misunderstanding or miscommunication. Who did you talk to?

As to the SoCal Alfa shops not being interested - VERY, VERY DISAPPOINTING!!!!!!!!!!

I suppose you tried to set it all up before he travelled. So, you and he arranged (or went through with) the travelling _knowing_ that there was little interest in SoCal - shops and track-wise. Of course, it is still disappointing, but people are entitled to whatever interests they like.

Jes

 

[junglejustice]

Yeah, well - at least you were nice enough to put us up and host the shindig at your house! Thanks again - that was pretty cool...

Yeah - I tried to set it all up weeks and weeks in advance! Let's just drop it - I don't want to nail and alienate high-profile people within the club here publicly like this - it probably was just a misunderstanding.

 

[AR4me]

Yeah, well - at least you were nice enough to put us up and host the shindig at your house! Thanks again - that was pretty cool...

It was a blast - like so many other extended Alfa weekends and moments. It ranks right up there with some of the Seattle trips. The stuff you live for. Priceless, for everything else there is ...
Jes